Our Life To Live
by OfficerFishKyle
Summary: It's Oliver Fish and Kyle Lewis' life to live and they're going to live it to the fullest. Continues their story shortly after getting custody of Sierra Rose.
1. Chapter 1 - The Kyle-duate

**Chapter 1 - "The Kyle-duate"**

Oliver Fish opened the rear door of his aged but trusty Jeep and was greeted with a gurgling smile from Sierra Rose.

"Hey there, beautiful," he beamed at his daughter, "ready to go see your daddy graduate?" Sierra answered by giggling and shaking a stuffed, technicolor fish toy at him. Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. Since they had brought the baby home, Kyle had become obsessed with buying her stuffed animals, particularly ones shaped like fish. The one she clutched now – one he had seen in a toy store window on his way home from the hospital – was her favorite.

Slinging his backpack of baby gear higher up on his shoulder, Oliver bent down and carefully unstrapped the car seat straps that he had checked and double-checked before leaving the apartment. He then hoisted the baby into his arms and, despite himself, lightly pressed Sierra to his chest. Reassured to feel her heart beating in a normal rhythm, he closed the car door and started walking towards the outdoor amphitheater on the outskirts of Llanview University's campus.

It was a sunny June morning, almost two months since Sierra Rose had come home with Oliver and Kyle. And as he walked, Oliver felt his insiders warming with a feeling that was practically foreign to him. Pure happiness. Happiness not tainted or diluted by fear or insecurity or shame.

He'd only felt it a few times in his life. During a tipsy afternoon on a Lake Llantano dock when he had realized for the first time that he was in love with Kyle. Less than a year ago in Angel Square when Kyle had halted his wedding to Nick and told Oliver he still loved him. Holding Kyle in his arms after they'd made love on New Year's Eve, listening to fireworks light up the sky. Just the other day when he had come home from work to find Kyle and Sierra Rose snuggled up asleep on the couch together.

As he joined the crowd streaming through the amphitheater's archway, Oliver thought about how much that paralyzing fear had almost cost him, about how much better it felt to face it rather than run or hide from it. He couldn't deny he still had his bouts of guilt, his moments of worry. But on a day like today, with his baby girl safe in his arms and the man that he loved celebrating such a momentous accomplishment, the happiness…it washed everything else away.

"Baby daddy…up in front!" Oliver was pulled from his thoughts by the unmistakable voice of Roxanne Balsom. Glancing around, he quickly spotted her near the stage, frantically bouncing up and down in an effort to get his attention.

Not that she needed to bother; Roxy always stood out in a crowd. Today, for example, her hair was complexly constructed atop her head and she was dressed like she was attending Mother's Day brunch at a rock concert. Oliver admittedly didn't always understand Roxy and could at times find her manic energy…overwhelming. But she loved Kyle and Sierra fiercely and unapologetically and that meant everything in Oliver Fish's book.

"How's the lil' guppy today? She doesn't have that…whatchamacallit…cauliflower thing, does she?" Roxy exclaimed in a rush as Oliver approached. The words were barely out of her mouth before she plucked the baby from Oliver's arms and proceeded to make goofy faces at her. Sierra Rose squealed with delight and thrust her free hand into the mess of curls on Roxy's head.

"Colic?" Oliver translated with a smile in his voice. "Nooo…she's completely healthy. In fact, she passed her check-up yesterday with flying colors."

"Thatta girl! Last thing the lot of us needs is another downer…" Roxy's words made Oliver's insides lurch. Collapsing into his seat, thoughts of the past few months, thoughts of the turmoil he and Kyle and Roxy and especially Sierra Rose had experienced flooded his mind. Was he being naïve or repressing the truth again? Could they really just put all that had happened behind them?

"...not when things are getting so good, huh Oli?" Roxy winked as she plopped the baby into his lap and gave his free hand a squeeze.

Feeling the tension swim out of his system, Oliver smiled and squeezed her hand in return. When Roxy was right, she was right.

* * *

Kyle Lewis felt like pinching himself.

Surrounded by the bubbling, excited members of Llanview University College of Medicine's Class of 2010, he was uncharacteristically quiet, reflecting back with a wry smile stretched across his face on everything he had gone through to get to this moment.

Hell, just a year ago, he didn't think he'd ever see the day he'd be able to call himself Dr. Kyle Lewis. He had been kicked out of the program. Fired from his lab tech job at Llanview Hospital. Was facing criminal charges for blackmailing Natalie and Jared Banks. Was still entangled with Stacy Morasco and that whole stem cell fiasco. And on top of all that, it was also when he'd lost Rebec…

Then there was Oliver. Who, when he stumbled back into Kyle's life, could barely look him in the eyes, would tense up every time they were in the same room together, slicing back open all the paper cuts on Kyle's heart that he had tried to so hard to heal.

Kyle had once likened the events of last spring and summer to being trapped in his own personal hell and he had meant that in every sense. But, he realized as he twisted the tassel on his mortarboard around his finger, suffering through all that made the good things in his life now shine that much brighter. He was finally finished with medical school and he was excited about starting his career. He was lucky enough to be a father to an amazing little girl like Sierra Rose. But the best part was Oliver; opening his heart back up to him had been the best decision Kyle had ever made.

Sure…going from dating to living together and raising an infant hadn't been without its hiccups. But from when he woke up in the morning to Sierra's cries over the baby monitor to when he climbed into bed at night and found Oliver's hand when he reached for it, Kyle couldn't imagine being happier with the life he was living.

The opening strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" filled Kyle's ears, bringing him back to the present. The excitement of the moment flooding his senses, he quickly readjusted his cap and shuffled back into line between Sherry Kobach and Laurence Luong. He then followed his fellow graduates out onto the amphitheater's stage, where they were met with polite applause from the audience.

And there, cheering from the very first row, was his family. The family he had forged for himself out of scraps and luck. Oliver…his handsome face full of teeth as he smiled up at Kyle. Sierra…excitedly thrusting the fish toy he'd bought her (which he was secretly thrilled was her favorite) towards the stage as he crossed her eye line. Roxy…somehow managing to snap pictures and whistle wildly and wave her arms with abandon.

His family…all that was missing was Rebec…

Not today, Kyle scolded himself as he took his seat and graced his family with his biggest grin. This was his day and he was going to enjoy every damn minute of it.

* * *

Twenty minutes after the graduation ceremony had ended, Kyle offered one more congratulations to his first-year lab partner and then crossed the lawn outside the amphitheater to where Oliver and Roxy were waiting for him with Sierra Rose.

"There he is…my boyfriend, the doctor!" Oliver exclaimed as he spotted him walking up. Passing Sierra off to Roxy, he pulled Kyle into a big hug as soon as he was close enough.

"That's me!" Kyle replied, his ear-to-ear grin a mirror image of Oliver's as they wrapped their arms around each other. "And lucky for you, Officer Fish," he continued, whispering huskily into his ear, "I make house calls." Blushing, Oliver managed to choke out a chuckle around the horny lump in his throat.

"Seriously, Kyle…I am so proud of you." Oliver then brought his face to Kyle's and their lips met in a deep kiss. It was far from their first, but it amazed them both how much of a rush it still was all these years later.

"Awww…I could watch you cuties do that all day. Isn't that right, Sequoia?" Roxy purred. Sierra chose that moment to let loose a gassy burp, eliciting loving laughter from her fathers. Kyle moved over to Roxy, planted a sweet peck on her cheek, and then reached for the squirming baby in her arms.

"C'mere, gorgeous," Kyle drawled. Sierra cooed with joy being in Kyle's embrace and good-naturedly started bopping him on the head with her fish toy. The sight made Oliver's heart swell.

"Alright boys, let me get this precious momento on film," Roxy said, tottering backwards on her impractical heels to get the two men and their baby into frame.

Turning towards Roxy, Oliver slung an arm over Kyle's shoulder, the same way he had what felt like a million years ago on a football field down the street. And as the shutter on Roxy's camera clicked, both guys smiled wider as they realized they were taking their first family photo.

**Next up…Kyle and Oliver consider the future.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Talk To Remember

**Chapter 2 - "A Talk To Remember"**

A few nights later, Kyle Lewis and Oliver Fish were finishing up dinner on the roof of the Angel Square Hotel. It was a warm evening and, given how well their last talk up there had gone, it seemed like the ideal place to discuss their plans for the future.

Kyle sat in a faded lawn chair, whispering words of encouragement as Sierra Rose worked on her nighttime bottle. Looking up, he watched as Oliver meticulously cleaned the grill they had discovered in the hotel's storage basement and Oliver had somehow restored to working order. He had cooked them steaks for dinner, a rare treat considering the tight budget they were living on. Kyle also couldn't help noticing the way Oliver's arms were bulging in the old ΚΑΔ T-shirt he was wearing as he scrubbed grease off the cooking grate. Maybe, Kyle thought, after Sierra went to bed…

"How's our girl doing with that bottle?" Oliver asked, glimpsing over. Kyle hurriedly dropped his eyes back to his lap. Having finished her dinner and spat out the bottle's nipple, Sierra was now gazing up at him with an adorable grin that seemed to say, "Busted, daddy!" Kyle smiled back at her. It was moments like this when he couldn't wait to see what kind of person she'd grow up to be.

"She's alll done," Kyle answered as he carefully stood up, shifting Sierra towards his shoulder so he could burp her. Getting the desired result after a few soft pats on her back, he then bent down to put her in her bouncy seat, one of a number of amazing inventions he had no idea existed before the baby shower Layla had thrown for them.

"Don't forget her blanket," Oliver tossed off as he finished fussing over the grill, finally closing the lid and wiping his hands on an old dishrag.

"Already on it, Officer Worrywart," Kyle shot back good-naturedly. Sierra shrieked with happiness when he whipped out her pink embroidered baby blanket, possibly her favorite thing in the entire world. He had no sooner draped it over her than she latched onto it with both chubby hands and brought the fabric between them to her mouth.

"That poor thing is gonna get ravaged when she starts teething," Kyle muttered to himself as he stretched to his full height. He then noticed Oliver was hard at work on something new, dragging a pen across a pad of yellow paper.

"Seriously, Oliver? We can't just talk, you're gonna take notes? This isn't a chapter meeting," Kyle teased, snaking out a hand to tweak Oliver's nipple through his shirt. Oliver flinched and gasped in surprise, but by the time he moved to retaliate, Kyle had already backed out of reach.

"C'mon, Kyle…it's a really big decision. Besides, you gave me grief about the spreadsheet and that worked out pretty well, huh." Kyle rolled his eyes. It was true, he had indeed had a laughing fit when Oliver first showed him the multi-colored chart he used to track his finances. But he had to admit it had proved extremely useful. They were hardly the Buchanans, but, with their combined salaries, they were able to pay their bills and provide Sierra Rose with everything she needed. Hell, they had even managed to throw a few pennies into a college fund for her.

And clipping coupons, Kyle decided, was definitely better than resorting to blackmail again. Fortunately, he had been able to pay off most of the medical school debt that had inspired that little scheme with the small inheritance he had received from Rebec…

"Alright, alright, you win," Kyle conceded, plopping back down onto the lawn chair. With a satisfied smile Kyle found adorable despite himself, Oliver sat down cross-legged on the rooftop across from him, next to Sierra, pen and pad at the ready. "So what's it like there?"

"It's nice. A lot like Llanview, maybe a little more suburban. I think you'd like it. The rents right now are pretty reasonable so we'd have our pick of places. There's good schools for our future honor student here," Oliver gestured towards Sierra, who was quietly drooling away on her blankie. "And, most importantly, it's home to a nationally-ranked hospital with a renowned pediatrics department that wants my brilliant doctor boyfriend for its residency program."

"I still can't believe I got in," Kyle marveled. It had all started in the days after they had gotten custody of Sierra. A worried Oliver had peppered Kyle with questions – about her heart condition and her surgery, about the health problems preemies faced. Wanting to reassure him and prepare themselves for anything that might crop up down the road, Kyle had dove into the world of pediatrics and had found it incredibly fascinating. He started reading medical journals on the subject in his fleeting spare time, volunteered for shifts in the NICU, and shadowed Dr. Ganjemi whenever he could.

It was Dr. Ganjemi who had suggested he apply. Kyle had done so as a lark; nobody was more surprised than him when the acceptance letter showed up the week before graduation.

"I believe it. Who wouldn't want Dr. Kyle Lewis?" Oliver beamed at him, making his insides melt. "So how does their offer compare to the one here?"

"Pay's a little higher, hours a little more stable. The insurance package is about the same. Plus, I hear they've got a really great daycare program we can enroll Sierra in." Oliver nodded his head as he jotted on his notepad. Kyle kinda felt like he was being interviewed.

"Well…I put in a call to the station over there and they're hiring," Oliver said, scribbling as he spoke. "And with my field experience the last year or so and a letter of recommendation from John, maybe the commissioner, they might even bump me up a pay grade."

"No way they're gonna turn down a hero cop like you, Oliver," Kyle assured him. The compliment made his boyfriend's cheeks go pink as he scanned his list.

"The pros are really starting to pile up. Any cons you can think of?" Oliver quizzed Kyle. Kyle did have one in mind. More of a concern than a con, really. But he figured it'd be better to ease into it.

"It is where Vince Barriger was spawned," Kyle piped up after a minute of thought, disgust coating his every word.

"Ugh…I forgot," Oliver grimaced in turn. "Vince Barriger. That guy was like…I dunno…Ford with a trust fund." Kyle momentarily wondered what had ever happened to Ford, who Cris and Layla had kicked out of their apartment shortly after Oliver and Sierra had moved in with him.

"More like Kim with a penis," Kyle cracked, causing Oliver to laugh. Two years older than them, Vince Barriger had been their pledgemaster when they had joined ΚΑΔ freshman year. And like most entitled bullies, he had relished the power he had over his pledges and made those two months as miserable as he could. Kyle's opinion of him hadn't improved once he had been initiated. He saw right through Vince's bullshit. Behind his toothpaste smile, he was nothing but a rich brat who got his jollies picking on the insecure (like Oliver) and belittling those he felt were beneath him (namely Kyle).

"Not that he'd venture to our side of the tracks anyway," Oliver responded after he'd caught his breath," but I'm pretty sure he's still bopping around Europe on his parents' dime. At least that's what the alumni newsletter said. Crisis averted. What else you got?"

"We're gonna lose an army of babysitters." There was no doubt in Kyle's mind that the past few months would have been much tougher without the support of their friends. Whether it was Roxy minding Sierra when their work shifts overlapped or Gigi offering up tips from when Shane was a baby or Cris and Layla having them over for a sanity-keeping dinner or drinks. And after feeling adrift and alone for so long, the prospect of leaving all these people behind made him kinda sad.

"True…but we wouldn't be moving across the country or anything. Besides, I don't think we could shake them if we tried. Birthdays, holidays, dance recitals…they're all gonna be there. They're family. And they wouldn't want you to give up this opportunity and you know it." Oliver was right of course. Kyle's mind drifted back to the real worry he wanted to address. He didn't want to hurt Oliver's feelings, but they had promised, on this very spot, to be honest with each other…

"Kyle? What is it?" Oliver's face was scrunched up in concern. God, Kyle mused, he is so cute.

"We're not talking about moving somewhere random, somewhere new," Kyle began in a rush. "You lived there, you worked there, you…probably dated there. I know how tough coming out was for you. And everybody here knows and accepts you, accepts us. We can't go backwards, Oliver. I-I can't go backwards. So if you're having any doubts about whether you can do it again, with people you knew and who might judge you, I need to know."

"Kyle…Kyle, look at me." Kyle hadn't realized he had turned his gaze towards his knees as he spoke. Glancing up, he saw that Oliver had slid closer to him, kneeling so they were eye-to-eye. Those damn beautiful blue eyes. He was relieved to see there wasn't any frustration or hurt reflected in them.

"I-I'm sorry you feel like you had to ask me that…but I get it. I've let you down so many times before, especially when it comes to this. But…it's different now." Oliver paused, licking his lips, clearly mulling over what he wanted to say.

"Lying to everyone…lying to myself…about who I am…it almost cost me you, Kyle. It almost cost me Sierra. And I'm never gonna take that risk again. This is the right move for us. And if someone there can't accept that you…are the love of my life and that Sierra is our daughter, then that's their problem, not ours." Kyle blinked back happy tears. Deep down, he had never doubted that's how Oliver felt, but hearing the words out loud…it meant everything to him.

"You're braver than I gave you credit for, Oliver Fish" Kyle said softly, stroking Oliver's cheek. Oliver smiled, then reached up to cup his hand over Kyle's.

"You…are worth being brave for." Oliver leaned in to kiss him, but the moment was interrupted by a sudden burst of noise from Sierra. Clearly annoyed that her dads weren't paying her enough attention, she was scowling at them, her tiny limbs flailing in the air, her beloved blanket all but forgotten.

"Awww…I think our little lady wants a vote," Oliver laughed as they both got to their feet. Oliver reached her first, scooping her up into his arms. With all eyes on her, Sierra immediately settled down.

"I'm taking that as a vote in favor of moving. Consider it seconded, Sierra," Oliver told the baby in a sing-song voice before turning his face towards Kyle. "So whaddaya say?" Looking at the two people he loved more than life itself, the answer came to Kyle easily. Not since he crossed Angel Square towards Oliver in a tux had he been so sure of what to do.

"I say…we're moving to Cherryvale!" Oliver grinned wide and grabbed Kyle into an embrace. Sandwiched between her fathers, Sierra began babbling happily. And they stood that way for a while until the sun started slipping through the clouds.

* * *

By the time Oliver and Kyle brought her back to the apartment, Sierra was tuckered out. She barely put up a fight when Oliver changed her into her pajamas and it only took a few minutes of rocking her before she was out like a light.

"Sweet dreams, Sierra…" Oliver cooed as he lowered her into her crib. He stood watching her for a few minutes as she wiggled around in her sleep. To think, he recalled as a blush of shame flushed his face, he had ever denied that she was his. When she finally found a comfortable position on the mattress and fell still, he resisted the urge to check her heartbeat and instead turned off the living room lights.

Cautiously walking into the bedroom, Oliver started fumbling around in the near dark for the baby monitor. He had no sooner located it and switched it on when he felt someone's weight crash into him, knocking him backwards until he was pressed against the room's far wall. The culprit, of course, was Kyle, who was giving Oliver a look that made all the blood in his body surge south.

"K-Kyle…you're gonna wake…" Oliver weakly started to protest, but his groin quickly overruled his brain. Kyle hushed any further arguments from him by firmly pressing two fingers to Oliver's lips. His other hand skillfully manipulated the belt on Oliver's shorts.

"It's your own damn fault, Oliver," Kyle whispered wetly in his ear. "You look as sexy in that shirt now as you did back in college. Where'd you dig that up anyway?" Not waiting for an answer, Kyle dropped to his knees, tugging Oliver's shorts and boxers down with him. But before all higher brain function was lost, Oliver did manage to squeak out a reply.

"It's…um…a-actually your shirt…"

**Next up…Kyle and Oliver encounter familiar faces while planning their move to Cherryvale.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Mr Fish And Mr Lewis Go

**Chapter 3 - "Mr. Fish And Mr. Lewis Go To Cherryvale"**

"You're leaving Llanview?" Oliver Fish and Kyle Lewis looked up from their beers to find Layla Williamson glaring at them, arms crossed over her chest.

"Wait…what? You guys have been sitting here for twenty minutes. You didn't say anything about that to me." From the other side of the bar at Capricorn, Cristian Vega fixed them with a stare of his own.

"Well…why do you think we asked you out for drinks tonight?" Kyle shrugged guiltily.

A week had passed since they had decided to move to Cherryvale and Kyle and Oliver had begun the difficult but necessary task of telling their friends and family. Roxy had been first. She had put on a brave face when they'd told her, but later, Kyle had caught her crouched behind the hotel's reception desk, crying. Then, earlier that night while dropping off Sierra, they had broken the news to Gigi. She had been sad and disappointed, but had understood that they could give her niece a better life in Cherryvale.

Cris and Layla had been next on their list. But someone had clearly beaten them to the punch and Oliver had a pretty good idea who it was.

"I guess John told you." John McBain was a great cop who had taught Oliver a lot, but his interpersonal skills left something to be desired.

"Even better. He had me stay late so he could dictate a letter of recommendation for you," Layla reported, throwing her purse down on the bar and sliding into the empty seat next to Oliver. "It's glowing, by the way."

"So it's true?" Cristian asked as he greeted his fiancée with a kiss and a glass of wine. "You're moving?"

"'Fraid so," Kyle confirmed. "I got offered a spot in a really prestigious program at Cherryvale Community Hospital. And we've been thinking about moving for a while now, the apartment's just too small for the three of us, so we talked it through and decided to go for it."

"That's great, Kyle," Layla gave him a genuine smile as she sipped her drink. "Cherryvale…Oliver, didn't you use to live there?"

"Yup. We're actually driving down there for the day tomorrow. I've got a meeting at the station, Kyle's taking a tour of the hospital, and then we're gonna start looking for a place."

"I dunno about this," Cris piped up, leaning forward on the bar. "I don't like the idea of my goddaughter living so far away."

"That reminds me…which of you thought it'd be a good idea to ask my fiancée's ex-wife to be Sierra's godmother?" Layla inquired, her tone more bemused than annoyed. Oliver quickly jerked a thumb toward Kyle, who covered a guilty gulp with a swig of his beer.

"Oh, you didn't tell Cris and Layla about what happened on Mother's Day?" Oliver teased his boyfriend, enjoying the shoe being on the other foot for once.

"What happened on Mother's Day?!" Cris and Layla exclaimed in unison.

"Long story, another time," Kyle pleaded before draining the rest of his beer. "Just be happy I didn't ask the other Buchanan sister." Layla rolled her eyes. Cris wordlessly topped off her wine glass.

"Anyway, we're not moving to Mars," Kyle changed the subject. "Cherryvale's like an hour away from here. So we're expecting regular visits from Uncle Cris and Aunt Layla."

"You know it, man," Cris nodded his head as he poured Kyle another drink. "We're gonna miss you guys around here, but we're really happy for you."

"Yeah…real happy. So how do we get you to stay?" Layla mock pleaded, looping her arm around Oliver's. "A letter writing campaign? A rally in Angel Square? A bribe of sugary treats?"

"Sorry," Oliver laughed, patting Layla's hand. "Llanview's just gonna have to make do without Kyle and Fish."

* * *

"Thanks for coming in, Fish," the commissioner said as he opened the door to his office and led Oliver back into the bustling bullpen of the Cherryvale Police Department. "When you finalize your plans, give Rhoda a call and we'll get you on the schedule."

"Will do. Thank you so much, Captain. I-I mean, Commissioner." Captain James Briggs had been one of Oliver's instructors at the academy, a dedicated officer whom he had always admired. No wonder he was now the town's top cop.

"Still getting used to that myself," Commissioner Briggs chuckled as he gave Oliver's hand a firm shake. "See you soon, son." Oliver had barely released his grip when the man's attention was called elsewhere.

The meeting couldn't have gone any better, Oliver thought as he threaded his way through the crowded squad room. As he'd hoped, he'd been authorized for a small pay raise. The commissioner, a father himself, had assured him that the department would be as flexible as they could with his hours. He hadn't even batted an eye when Oliver had explained about Kyle and why they were moving to Cherryvale.

The more pieces that fell comfortably into place, the more excited Oliver got about the forming picture of the new life he and his family were about to begin.

He strolled out of the station and made for the back parking lot. Glancing at his watch, he realized he still had about an hour to kill before he had to pick up Kyle from his orientation at the hospital. He decided, as he approached his car, to drive down the street to Beancounters and get a coffee while he waited.

"Fish?" Looking up and squinting against the sun, Oliver was surprised to see a familiar face approaching him.

"Lachner!" Bentley Lachner had been Oliver's best friend during his rookie year on the force. His father had also been a cop, a regular hometown hero, and they had initially bonded during academy over the pressure of living up to that legacy. Over time, they had found they had more in common: a love of sci-fi movies, a fondness for football, and a shyness when it came to women (for different reasons, obviously). Oliver had never felt a romantic attraction to Bentley, but his friendship had helped fill some of the void tearing Kyle out of his life had left behind.

But while Oliver had fled to Cherryvale to hide, to avoid all reminders of Kyle, Bentley had lived there his whole life and had been eager to leave, to see the world. Still, Oliver had been surprised when, one day, Bentley up and enlisted in the Army. Six weeks later, he was gone, first to Texas for basic training and then deployed to Iraq. They had e-mailed for a while, but had lost touch before Oliver had moved to Llanview.

"Been a long time, man," Bentley acknowledged after they'd greeted each other. "What are you doing here? Word from my folks was you'd moved on to bigger and better."

"If by 'bigger and better' you mean Llanview, then yeah. But I'm back now. Just got done making it official with Briggs."

"Criminals of Cherryvale…beware!" Bentley ribbed him good-naturedly, running a hand over his buzzed chestnut brown hair.

"What about you? Didn't think I'd ever see you in a Cherryvale PD uniform again," Oliver volleyed back, poking the nameplate on Bentley's shirt.

"Well…got discharged a few weeks ago and…I guess I've seen enough of the world for now." His tone was casual, but something about it let Oliver know his buddy wasn't up for telling war stories.

"Still driving this thing around, huh?" Bentley observed, tapping his knuckles on the hood of Oliver's Jeep. "That baby seat in back, however, is new. You a dad, Fish?"

"Sure am," Oliver replied, the same smile he always got when asked that question stretching his lips. "A little girl. Her name's Sierra Rose."

"But no Mrs. Fish?" Bentley nodded at Oliver's naked fingers.

"We, uh, weren't really together when…" Thinking about Stacy always caused a storm of emotions within Oliver. Gratitude for giving him the gift that was Sierra. Anger for trying to keep her from him. Regret for not being able to save her life up on Llantano Mountain. Perhaps sensing the shift in Oliver's mood, Bentley expertly changed the subject.

"Pictures, pictures," Bentley requested, snapping his fingers. Oliver didn't require any more prompting; he never needed an excuse to show off his daughter. Opening the door of his car, he yanked a batch of photos from the console and handed them to Bentley.

"Awww…she's a cutie, man," Bentley commented as he shuffled through the stack. Oliver's chest puffed up with paternal pride.

"Who's the guy in all these pictures? I didn't think you had a brother." Bentley flipped one of them around, the one of Oliver and Sierra posed with Kyle at his graduation. Moment of truth, Oliver thought. Coming out had gotten easier over time, but a part of Oliver still dreaded that the people he cared about, people like Bentley, would walk away from him when they found out. Like his parents had…

"Definitely not my brother," Oliver chuckled nervously. "That's Kyle. He's…he's my boyfriend."

"Your…boyfriend?" Bentley's eyebrows arched in surprise. "So you're saying you're…"

"Gay, yeah," Oliver confirmed. "If…if that changes things, so be it, but that's who I am…and I'm not ashamed of it anymore…"

"Of course it doesn't change anything," Bentley quickly assured him. "It's just…you might not even remember this, but the night after we graduated from the academy, we really tied one on and you told me about this relationship you ruined back in college. The way you talked about it…I figured you'd eventually nut up and try to win her back."

"That, uh, actually was Kyle," Oliver smiled sheepishly. "We kinda found our way back to each other last year. Took some time, but he forgave me, decided to give me another shot."

"Ah, so I was right," Bentley noted. He turned the photo back around, examining it more closely. "You look really happy, Fish."

"I am…I'm really lucky," Oliver mused. After all the mistakes he had made, he was grateful for every day he had with Kyle and Sierra.

"Then, my friend, I'm happy for you," Bentley grinned at him. "I do have one question, though. You said you got back with your guy last year? But your kid, who has your eyes, by the way, is what, like six months old? Something tells me there's a story there." Oliver laughed. Bentley Lachner was still one hell of a cop.

"Oh there is, a pretty long one at that." To the people who hadn't lived through it, the story of Sierra's conception and birth probably sounded like something out of a soap opera.

"Well, I got half an hour before my shift starts," Bentley said after checking the time. "Why don't we go grab a coffee and you can fill in the blanks."

* * *

"…and he couldn't have been more awesome about it. He said he's really looking forward to meeting you and Sierra." Kyle nodded encouragingly as Oliver finished telling the story of his reunion with Bentley Lachner.

"That's great, Oliver." Indeed, Kyle was thrilled that Oliver's first encounter with a friend from his former life had gone so well. The part of him that worried about Oliver's safety on the job was also happy he'd have someone watching his back.

They were sitting at a table in Gordon's Bar & Grill, a pub restaurant that was the type of place where the owner knew everyone personally. Literally in this case as Frank Gordon, the grandfatherly man whose name was on the door, had greeted Oliver like a long-lost son when he'd walked in. Situated halfway between the police station and the hospital, it was a popular spot among cops and doctors both. The lunch rush was nearly over and the place was still buzzing with customers.

"I feel like I've been babbling on and on since I picked up you," Oliver noted as he took a slurp of his soda. "How'd it go at the hospital?"

"Really good," Kyle replied as he reflected back on his tour. "The place is ridiculously state-of-the-art. Dr. Ganjemi would freak. And apparently, the program just got some gigantic new grant that's really gonna put us on the map. Oh, yeah, and some hot nurse was totally flirting with me."

"Oh yeah?" The hint of jealously in Oliver's voice made Kyle smile. "Guy or girl?"

"Girl. But, I dunno, maybe it's time I gave the other sex a try." Oliver's expression twisted comically in exasperation. Laughing, Kyle was about to put him out of his misery when he felt a hand clamp on his shoulder and a familiar drawl boom in his ear.

"Well fuck me…if it isn't Lewis and Fish." Kyle didn't need to look behind him to see who had interrupted their lunch, but he did anyway.

"Vince Barriger." Smirking, Vince stepped around the table. Kyle hated to admit it, but he looked good, like he hadn't aged a day since he had left Llanview. With his tanned skin and freshly cut curly blonde hair, he looked like he was from California, not Pennsylvania. His clothes were casual, but Kyle suspected they cost enough to keep Sierra in diapers for months.

"What are you doing here, Vince?" Oliver asked. "Heard you were on a permanent vacation in Europe."

"Uh, I'm from here? My grandfather's retiring so they needed the big man to step in at the company," Vince answered, obnoxiously flexing his arms over his head. The Barrigers owned several lucrative businesses, though most of their fortune came from Barriger Pharmaceuticals. Kyle had used their products often over the course of his medical training.

"The two of you, however…" Vince went on, wagging a finger back-and-forth between them. "What brings you to town? Miss me?"

"You got me…I scraped my way through medical school and applied to a residency program here in Cherryvale just so I could hang out with you," Kyle quipped, already annoyed.

"Sorry, Lewis, don't swing your way. Guess those rumors about you were true…" Kyle's face flushed. After Oliver had broken up with him back in college, he hadn't worried himself with being discreet anymore. A few days before graduation, one of his fraternity brothers had spotted him outside of Llanview's only gay bar, making out with some guy who, in Kyle's drunken state, had reminded him a little of Oliver. No one had directly confronted him about it, but he had heard the whispers.

"But if you're working at the hospital, we might bump into each other," Vince reported in a bored tone. "Family just donated a shitload of money to help sick kids or something. Got me a spot on the board."

Kyle could feel the steam pouring out of his ears. Struggling to keep his cool, he stole a glance at Oliver. He was surprised by how seemingly calm he was considering the douchebaggery they were being subjected to.

"And what about you, Fishy? Thought you went back to Llanview to play crossing guard." Kyle was pretty surprised Vince even knew Oliver had lived in Cherryvale, let alone left.

"I did…but my boyfriend got this fancy new job here and I kinda love him sooo…" Oliver said in a relaxed, almost "duh" manner. He then reached across the table and took Kyle's hand in his, interlacing their fingers.

"Say what?!" Vince exclaimed. "You trying to play a joke on me, Fishy, just 'cause I was giving Lewis a hard time?"

"We're in love. That's not a joke." Oliver fixed Vince with a look so sincere it made Kyle's insides melt. But Vince was so lost in his own amusement that he wasn't even paying attention anymore.

"Oh man, I can't fuckin' believe ΚΑΔ had its own "Brokeback Mountain" going on under our noses!" He dug his fancy phone out of his pocket, dialing as he spoke. "I gotta call Smithy, he's never gonna believe this. I'll see you ladies around." With that, Vince spun on his heels and headed for the door. Kyle made to follow him, and possibly break his nose, but Oliver grabbed his arm before he could clear his seat.

"It's not worth it. Especially if he's got clout at the hospital. Besides," Oliver leaned in closer, "do you really care what Vince Barriger thinks of us?" Kyle smiled and shook his head no. He didn't know if he was just on a confidence high from how well it'd gone with Bentley, but the way Oliver had handled this encounter with Vince…Kyle had never been prouder of him.

"Don't let that Barriger brat get to you," Frank Gordon advised as he plopped down two plates of burgers and fries. "He's a little shit." Kyle and Oliver both laughed as they sat back down.

"So what time do we have to be at the real estate office?" Kyle asked as he picked up his burger.

"2:30," Oliver answered as he did the same. "So eat up. And tell me the grub here isn't worth putting up with a little Vince Barriger."

* * *

The house reminded Kyle of a dream he once had.

It had been senior year, on one of those rare occasions when Oliver had felt comfortable enough, without the benefit of alcohol, to spend the whole night in his room. Those nights, falling asleep with Oliver next to him…Kyle had lived for them.

Oliver had also co-starred in his dream. They had been in the front yard of a house, similar yet different from the one they were parked in front of now. Oliver had been in a policeman's uniform, tossing a football around with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed preteen boy. Kyle had been sitting on the stoop, a stethoscope around his neck, putting a Band-Aid on the scraped knee of a little girl who was the spitting image of Rebec…

While nice, the dream had also kinda weirded Kyle out. He hadn't been one to spend time dwelling on the future. It probably came from a childhood of being bounced around, without warning, from one place to another. His only plans after graduation had been to pass the MCAT and be with Oliver. And kids? He had never even thought about it.

He hadn't bothered telling Oliver about it; would have only spooked him. Not that it mattered. Two weeks later had been the infamous Parents' Weekend. Suddenly, there had been no more KyleandOliver to worry about and all Kyle's dreams had turned into nightmares.

It was funny, Kyle reflected as he and Oliver got out of the car, how, in a way, all these years later, that dream had ended up coming true.

Unlike the cookie-cutter communities on the south side of town (the crown jewel of which, of course, was the mansion the Barrigers called home), number 103 on Washington Street was small and in need of some repairs, but wasn't lacking personality. Kyle and Oliver hadn't even considered they'd be able to afford a house, but the flyer Kyle had spotted at the real estate office had convinced them it was worth taking a look.

"Mr. Fish? Mr. Lewis?" a female voice called out. They followed the voice to its source, a pretty young woman coming towards them from the neighboring house. She was about their age, thin and fair-skinned, strawberry blonde hair streaming behind her as she approached.

"Hi there. Jeanine Morgan, Cherryvale Realty." Fumbling with the files she was carrying, she awkwardly extended a hand towards them.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Morgan." Oliver took the bait first, grasping her hand. "I'm Oliver Fish and this is my boyfriend, Kyle Lewis." Kyle shook it in turn.

"Please, it's Jeanine. Thanks so much for meeting me here. I wasn't working at the office today and, as you can see," she explained, flicking her head towards where'd she come from, "I'm in the neighborhood."

"No worries," Kyle insisted. A grateful look crossing her face, Jeanine flipped open one of her folders and extracted two fact sheets, which she handed over to Kyle and Oliver.

"So I talked to Delores and, based on what she told me, I think this property would be a perfect fit for you guys. Great for starter families, very reasonable mortgage rates," she continued, glancing at her notes. "Tell me, are you moving here from out-of-state?"

"No, actually, we're from this town up the highway. Llanview? You probably saw it on the news when…are you okay?" Kyle noticed that, as he spoke, Jeanine's face had gone pale. Letting out a strained laugh, she started to respond when there was a burst of energy behind her.

"Wait for me!" Kyle saw a young boy of about five run out of Jeanine's house and scamper across the lawn towards them.

"I hope you don't mind my assistant tagging along with us today," she said with a smile, the color returning to her face. She affectionately ruffled the boy's blonde hair as soon as he was close enough. "This is my son Tyler. Say hi to Mr. Fish and Mr. Lewis, Tyler."

"Hi! Are you gonna be our new neighbors?" Kyle couldn't help but chuckle at the kid's wide-eyed enthusiasm. He also mentally called dibs on Sierra's first Take Your Daughter To Work Day.

"Maybe…" Oliver answered, clearly as charmed by Tyler as Kyle was. "So, have you lived here long?" he asked Jeanine as the four of them made their way up the walk.

"Since Tyler was born," Jeanine half-muttered, her hair swinging in her face as she jiggled her keys in the front door. "It's really a great place to live."

"You don't have to tell me. I actually lived here until last year. My better half," Oliver explained, squeezing Kyle's shoulder, "got a fancy new job at Cherryvale Community so decided to move back."

"Awww…love at first sight, huh?" Jeanine perked up as she shouldered the door open. Kyle and Oliver followed her inside, Tyler dashing in ahead of them and disappearing from view. "So how did you two meet?"

"We actually knew each other from college. We both went to LU," Kyle remarked, his eyes flitting all over the house that could be theirs. Behind him, he heard the clatter of keys hitting the ground and a shaky curse spill from Jeanine's lips.

"L-let me…go get Tyler and then we can, uh, start the tour," Jeanine trilled as she hurried down the hallway after her son. Kyle couldn't help noticing that Oliver's eyes followed her as she went.

"Trying to get back at me for the flirty nurse?" Kyle teased as they waited.

"No, of course not. Jeanine just…I dunno...reminds me of someone," Oliver whispered back. "Doesn't she?" Kyle took a closer look at the realtor as she returned with her son. He understood what Oliver was saying. He was fairly sure he had never met Jeanine Morgan before, but there was something oddly familiar about her.

"Well, now that Action Jackson has been recovered," Jeanine said, shooting a weary but warm look at Tyler, who was now waving a beat-up action figure at them, "let's take a look around, shall we?"

Kyle knew he should be paying more attention to the facts and figures Jeanine rattled off as they went from room to room, but he kept getting flashes of what life in this house with Oliver and Sierra could look like.

In the living room, he saw him and Oliver tearing open presents for Sierra her first Christmas. In the kitchen, Sierra as a toddler, refusing to eat her vegetables. In the spare bedroom that would be hers, Sierra inviting him to a tea party with her stuffed animals. In the master bedroom…well, him and Oliver engaged in adult activities. And finally, in the backyard where they were now standing, the three of them surrounded by friends and family as they blew out the candles on Sierra's birthday cake.

He glanced over at Oliver, who was silently reading over the fact sheet again, his face scrunched in concentration as he did the mental math. Kyle knew the mortgage payments were at the very high end of the cap they'd set for themselves, but he also knew that this place would be worth it in the long run.

"So, what do you think?" Jeanine inquired as Tyler buzzed around behind her, having decided his action figure was now a fighter jet. Oliver looked up from the paper and gave Kyle a nod, which Kyle happily returned in kind. A signal, a silent agreement.

"I think," Oliver said, reaching out to take Kyle's hand, "we're home."

* * *

The sky had grown dark by the time Oliver and Kyle began the drive back to Llanview. They had spent the rest of the afternoon at the real estate office, figuring out the financing and signing all the paperwork. The headaches had been worth it. The house would be all theirs at the end of the month, just before Kyle began his residency.

Then, Oliver had taken Kyle out to a celebratory dinner at Othello's, his favorite Italian restaurant. He had been there on dates before, awkward first dates with women he had forced himself to envision a future with. But being there with Kyle had felt the complete opposite, so natural, so right. The food had tasted better, the candlelit table had seemed more romantic…it had been a perfect evening.

And since they weren't due to pick Sierra up from Gigi's until morning, Oliver thought, the horny glint in his eyes masked by the shadows that filled the car, he hoped Kyle would still be in the mood to celebrate by the time they made it back to the apartment.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Oliver asked his boyfriend, who had been quietly gazing out the window, watching the streets of the town melt behind them as they drove towards the highway.

"Just…me and you. With a baby…and now a house. It's…surreal. It's…" Oliver's heart leapt up into his throat. It's what? Crazy? Too soon? More than Kyle can handle?

"It's awesome," Kyle finished his thought, turning towards Oliver and giving him a smile that made him fall in love all over again.

"It is, isn't it," Oliver agreed, a sigh of relief accompanying his words. Overwhelmed with a desire to touch Kyle, he reached out his right hand and started lightly rubbing the back of his neck.

"I just hope we don't get bored," Kyle continued, his shoulders relaxing into Oliver's massage.

"Bored?" Oliver couldn't imagine his life ever being dull as long as Kyle Lewis was in it.

"No heiresses with multiple personalities…no psychotic preachers…no scheming strippers. Compared to that, life in Cherryvale might be kiiinda dull," Kyle replied with a wink and a grin.

* * *

Little did Kyle and Oliver know that, at that very moment, Bentley Lachner was curled up in the fetal position on his bathroom floor, sobbing, the cold tile a small relief against the terrible images he saw every time he closed his eyes…

…that Jeanine Morgan, having tucked Tyler into bed, was unwinding on her couch with a glass of wine, thanking her lucky stars that her new next-door neighbors hadn't recognized her from her days in Llanview…

…that Karly Abbott, the nurse who had flirted with Kyle earlier in the day, was still at the hospital, flipping through his application to the residency program, her eyes lit up with devilish intent…

…and that Frank Gordon was crumbled in the corner of Gordon's Bar & Grill's storage room…dead.

**Next up…Kyle and Oliver have an awkward encounter with Nick.**


End file.
